Molto Bene! A First Look at Matteo Ristorante Italiano
I have a good friend who’s a very knowledgeable wine expert and talented ex-chef and restaurateur. So when he talks about food and wine, I listen. That’s because he is very discriminating about both. So when he told Faith and me about a new Italian restaurant – raved about it, actually – I was thrilled. That’s because there are only a handful of It...
'This is my life': Restaurant owner's handmade pastas remind him of his childhood in Italy
He had been in the restaurant business for most of his life. But chef and restaurateur Rocco Pezzano left the time-demanding industry to start a wholesale business that would allow him to spend more time with his young family. Eight years later, COVID-19 hit and effectively shut down his company. By now, Pezzano’s personal life had also changed as...
Dig It Dining: Best Italian food in Downtown Chandler – Craft 64
Now while I reserve the right to be wowed by more Italian restaurants in the future, there’s definitely an oven in Downtown Chandler that is my new favorite place to fix a craving for sauce and bread. Here’s my review of Craft 64: With great happy hour and late-night specials, it was easy to pick a few appetizers and a pizza, paired with draft brew...
An Italian Coffee Legend Returns to Downtown Portland
ESPRESSO EXPERT, coffee roaster, and cafe owner Andrea Spella first established his reputation with the eponymous downtown Portland coffee cart he opened in 2006. Now after the pandemic, and massive changes in the neighborhood, Spella has once again put roots down in the city center with Spella Caffè, his new flagship that opened October 12. The ne...
Renowned Chef Opens Italian restaurant in Boise, Pledges to Give Back to the Community
An accomplished Chef is excited to put down roots in Boise and open a new restaurant. Tavolàta will open in Boise later this month. Young adults at Life's Kitchen, a nonprofit that helps provide resources, opportunities and experiences to young adults, recently got the chance to learn from Chef Ethan Stowell. "Working with kids and doing cooking cl...
Montelupo Italian Market brings fresh focaccia, pasta to Sellwood
Montelupo Italian Market opened its second Portland location on Thursday — bringing fresh-made focaccia and take-and-bake pasta to the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood. The new market, on Southeast Bybee Boulevard, offers lunch and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating, along with take-home dinner and dessert. “We’re so happy to be in the neighborho...
Montelupo’s New Southeast Portland Focacceria and Market Opens This Week
More than 20 years ago, while Portland restaurateur Adam Berger was learning to make pasta in Montelupo Albese, Italy, he would watch the matriarch of the the restaurant bake her daily focaccia: Pans slid into the wood-fired oven, and bread would emerge airy and crisp at the bottom to be placed at the tables in the dining room. “I can still remembe...
La Bettola Is the New Italian Hot Spot in Waikīkī
It’s tough out there. With the rising cost of living, dining out isn’t as frequent as we’d like it to be. But if there’s one thing that locals don’t mind spending good money on, it’s a celebration. For birthdays, life’s special moments or just because, we love to gather around food. Since its grand opening on Aug. 15, La Bettola Waikīkī has become...
Holy Cannoli at Italy Paola Pizza Napoletana
There’s a place on the corner of North 26th and North Alder Streets in Tacoma where pizza, calzones, and cannoli reign supreme. Family-owned food truck Italy Paola Pizza Napoletana was launched in December by husband and wife Cristian and Katrina Conversano. Cristian, a native of Naples, Italy, is a former chef of Europa Bistro and Massimo Italian...
People Can’t Get Enough Of This Pasta That’s Redefining Italian Cuisine In Oregon
Found in Portland and several other Oregon cities, Pastini has established itself as a haven for pasta enthusiasts, offering a delightful array of Italian dishes that tantalize the taste buds and celebrate the rich flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. With a commitment to using high-quality ingredients and a passion for authentic Italian flavors, Past...
Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop now open at UnCommons in Las Vegas
Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop has officially opened its doors at UnCommons in Southwest Las Vegas. It was the first full-service restaurant to open at the complex, which is located at the 215 Beltway and Durango Drive. The restaurant is led by executive Chef Brent Stanford, who was previously the executive sous chef for Brezza at Resorts World....
Viva Italiano! The Las Vegas Love Affair with Italian Cuisine
First landing in California for the 1849 Gold Rush, Italian immigrants made their mint more in merchandise than mining. In 1859, they shifted their attention to neighboring Nevada following discovery of the Comstock Lode, the world’s richest silver strike. Yet more came to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. By 1910, according to census numbers,...